Our goal in this--and the next--episode of TTT teachersteachingteachers.org/feed/podcast[18] is to join those who are developing a practical, pedagogical discourse between the heckling and the hype around badges. Our conversations are open and wide-ranging, but we have a few questions that must be answered soon, as the fall semester starts up around the US:

Of course, it's impossible to pull apart the different philosophical, political, and psychological threads that seem to attach themselves to badges, but the educators in this conversation begin to bring some clarity to the questions involved.

There's only so much that this many thoughtful participants can say in an hour, but we hope that there are a few moments while you are listening when you find yourself wanting to enter the conversation. Let us know what you are thinking by posting a comment below. And join us next week as we continue our conversations about badges on TTT with these thoughtful educators:

We'll continue these conversations live at edtechtalk.com/ttt[43] on Wednesday, 15 August at 4PM ET / 1PM PT/ World Times: goo.gl/tERfa[44]. NOTICE THE EARLIER TIME.

We’ll continue to focus on incorporating badges into K-12 education and beyond. There’s so much to say on the topic.

What’s your favorite blog post, video, article, resource about Badges? Please add a couple of links in the comments below. We want to be open and flexile about all of the ways people are talking about the issues involved. And, we are interested in keeping it real. We’ve been developing some ideas around badges for Youth Voices youthvoices.net[45], and there's more about this on P2PU goo.gl/oKQ1R[46].

See you on Wednesday.

Click Read more to see a copy of the chat that was happening during the webcast.

Dee (Guest): I'm new here...what is a hangout?

20:58Andrea Zellner: Dee, we are discussing Google Hangouts. on Google plus. It is where we will be chatting and will at some point go in the window above.

20:58Dee : Thanks...

20:58Andrea Zellner: I mean we are discussing INSIDE Google Hangouts.

20:58Andrea Zellner: IT's a video chat thingie on Google Plus.

20:58Dee : ok

20:59Andrea Zellner: how do i get to the program tonight?

21:00Andrea Zellner: For some reason, now everyone is me. Hmmm.

21:00dave cormier: lala

21:00Vikram: bug

21:01Vikram: in any case -- it was my question -- how do I access the program?

21:01Andrea Zellner THE REAL ONE: Trying to re-label myself

21:02Andrea Zellner THE REAL ONE: The broadcast should be starting above? Yes?

21:19Carla Casilli, Mozilla: Actually, Open Badges offer the opportunity to newly rethink the way we acknowledge achievements, affiliations, learning, etc. There is no predefined definition of what a badge system should be.

21:21Gail Desler: Is there audio for this session?

21:22Carla Casilli, Mozilla: yes, the video above should include audio

21:23Carla Casilli, Mozilla: it's already up

21:23Luka Carfagna: +1 for use of umbrage in a sentence vanessa

21:23Carla Casilli, Mozilla: :)

21:24Carla Casilli, Mozilla: totally disagree

21:25Carla Casilli, Mozilla: isn't this exactly how grades work?

21:25Carla Casilli, Mozilla: this is attempting to look into a crystal ball and imagine how they'll be used and interpreted.

21:26Carla Casilli, Mozilla: instead we're presenting a hypothesis which others can implement in their own ways.

21:31Fred Mindlin: Badges can be a small piece, but their context needs to be teaching everyone to self-curate their own portfolio that manifests their skills

21:41Carla Casilli, Mozilla: but they also offer alternative pathways

21:44jeffmason: won't the lit stage or the go-kart be evidence enough

21:59Andrea Zellner THE REAL ONE:@jeffmason: that's a good question (I wonder that myself) Apolgies for being behind over here to this chat